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Stan Kowalski

Stan Kowalski

Nickname: The Big K; Krippler; Krusher

Height: 6’ 2 1/2”

Weight: 290 lbs.

From: Minneapolis, MN

Birthday: May 13th

Pro Debut: 1948

Aliases: Bert Smith, The Big K, Crusher Kowalski, Ivan Kola, Joe Zbyszko, Joe Zebesco, Joe Zybesco, Joe Zybisko, Karl Kovacs, Killer Kowalski, The Krusher, Krusher Kowalski, Sammy Silvers, Sam Silver, Stan Kowalski, Buddy Marco, Slugger Kowalski

Feds Worked For: NWA-West, TSW, AWA, NWA, WWWF, Al Haft Sports (IL/OH), Alex Turk Promotion (Canada), All Star Wrestling (Canada), All Star Wrestling (IA/NE), Big Bear Promotions (Canada), Big Time Wrestling (Canada), Big Time Wrestling (OH/MI), Central States Wrestling (IA/K/MO), Championship Wrestling from Florida (FL), Championship Wrestling UA (OR), Fred Kohler Enterprises (IL), Georgia Championship Wrestling (GA), Gulas Wrestling Enterprises (TN), Gulf Athletic Club (TX), Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling (AL/TN), International Wrestling Enterprise (Japan), Louisiana Wrestling Enterprises (LA/MS), M & M Promotions (NM/TX), Manhattan Wrestling Enterprises (CT/MD/NJ/NY/PA/DC), Maple Leaf Wrestling (Canada), Mid West Championship Wrestling (OH/IN), Mid-Pacific Promotions (HI), Mike London Sports (AZ/CO/NM), Minnesota Boxing & Wrestling Club (MN), Northwest Wrestling Promotions (Canada), NWA Big Time Wrestling (CA), NWA Big Time Wrestling (TX), NWA Chicago (IL), NWA Hollywood (CA), NWA Los Angeles (CA), NWA Minneapolis (MN), Pacific Coast Athletic Club (CA), San Francisco (CA), St. Louis Wrestling Club (MO), Stampede Wrestling (Canada), Sylvio Samson Promotions (Canada), Terminal Athletic Club (OH), World Wrestling Alliance (IN), Wrestling Promotions, Inc. (AZ), Wrestling Show Classics (OH)

Signature Moves: Eye Gouge, Foreign Objects

 

Career Highlights: -AWA World Tag Team Champion (3x; 2 w/ Tiny Mills, 1 w/ Bob Geigel)
-MWCW Tag Team Champion (w/ Chico Garcia)
-NWA (Amarillo) North American Tag Team Champion (w/ Nick Roberts)
-NWA Canadian Open Tag Team Champion (w/ Tiny Mills)
-NWA (Florida) Southern Tag Team Champion (w/ Blackjack Daniels)
-NWA Hawaii Tag Team Champion (w/ Tiny Mills)
-NWA Iowa Tag Team Champion (w/ Blackjack Daniels)
-NWA (Minneapolis) International Tag Team Champion (2x; both w/ Tiny Mills)
-NWA (Minneapolis) World Tag Team Champion (2x; both w/ Tiny Mills)
-NWA New Mexico Champion
-NWA (San Francisco) Pacific Coast Champion
-NWA Texas Tag Team Champion (w/ Nick Roberts)
-Stampede International Tag Team Champion (w/ Duke Savage)
-TSW United States Tag Team Champion (w/ Kim Duk)

Affiliates: Tiny Mills, Chico Garcia, Bob Geigel, Blackjack Daniels, Nick Roberts, Kim Duk, Duke Savage, The Alaskan, Jack Crawford

Notable Feuds: Dick the Bruiser, Crusher Lisowski, Ramón Torres, Doug Gilbert, Roy McClarity, Luke Brown, Don Muraco, Frank Townsend, Joe Scarpello, Reggie Parks, Frank Shields, Red Bastien, Verne Gagne, Billy Robinson

Other Facts: -Real name was Bertram Roland Smith
-Brother-in-law of professional wrestler Blackjack Daniels, who he trained for pro wrestling
-Joined the United States Navy as a 17-year-old in 1943 and served on three submarines: the Plaice, the Barb, and the Bashaw. He was a gunner’s mate, charged with the 50-caliber artillery piece on the deck.
-Was Verne Gagne’s backup as in the heavyweight division on the University of Minnesota wrestling team
-Sometimes billed from Fridley, MN
-As Sammy Silver, he used the nickname “Slammin’”
-As Karl Kovacs, he used the nickname "Krippler"
-In November 1962, Kowalski lost a "Crusher vs. Krusher" match to Crusher Lisowski with the loser having to drop the nickname. Kowalski then became Krippler Karl Kovacs. He chose the name because he had several pairs of tights with the letter K on them so decided on using a name that started with the same letter to avoid buying new tights.
-Was also known as Killer Kowalski, not to be confused with Wladek Kowalski who also used the same nickname of Killer and is probably more well known.
-Appeared on AWA telecasts that aired on ESPN as The Big K, giving advice to wrestlers
-Passed away October 20, 2017. He was 91 years old.

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